Using ASHRAE's New IAQ Guide

s was seen in the 1970s, ill-conceived approaches to increase energy efficiency can degrade indoor air quality (IAQ), and today’s focus on net zero energy buildings must neither repeat the mistakes of the past nor create new ones. Many discussions of sustainable building focus primarily on energy use, but the quality of the indoor environment and its impact on occupant health, satisfaction and performance also must be considered for any building to be a sustainable contribution to the built environment over the long term. IAQ has traditionally been addressed through minimum ventilation requirements in building codes, which have been based on industry consensus standards such as ASHRAE Standard 62.1. While this approach has helped to improve IAQ in buildings, good IAQ requires more than just the minimum ventilation rates. Over the years many important contributions have been made directed toward improving IAQ in buildings, including Standard 62.1 and other publications.1,2 In addition, ASHRAE, the International Society for Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ) and other organizations have held conferences that have advanced knowledge and practice related to IAQ. While these efforts have been valuable, the building community still lacked a comprehensive and practical resource on achieving good IAQ for the building professionals who design, construct and commission buildings. To meet this long-standing need, ASHRAE teamed with several key organizations* to develop the newly published Indoor Air Quality Guide: Best Practices for Design, Construction and Commissioning. This article presents a short summary of the guide, including its development, format and content.